Harbor Freight Tools expanding to Sioux Falls

The national retailer will be part of a renovated retail center at 3100 W. 12th St.

Dollar Tree will take the reminder of the space, which used to be Big City Motors and 12th Street Auto Mart. The car dealer is moving to the corner of 12th and Lyons Avenue into a former Vern Eide location.

The southern portion of this retail center on West 12th Street will be renovated for Harbor Freight Tools and Dollar Tree.

“We have been in search of a location for Harbor Freight Tools in Sioux Falls for literally years,” said Ryan Tysdal of Lloyd Cos., who put the deals together. “This site on West 12th is perfect for them.”

Harbor Freight and Dollar Tree were attracted by the area’s traffic counts, he said.

“Dollar Tree has been looking for an ideal location on West 12th, and this was definitely the right opportunity,” Tysdal said.

Weight Watchers also had a location in the building and is in the process of finding a new space, he said. Bigs Bar, which is on the northern portion of the site, will remain.

Rod Woelfel, who owns the building and the auto dealership, said he saw the deal as a win-win.

“I felt leasing my building to these tenants was a great addition to the retail mix of West 12th Street,” Woelfel said. “Plus, it allowed me to move my dealership to one of the busiest intersections in the city at 12th & Lyons.”

The deals come at a time of renewed retail interest in West 12th Street. Billion Auto recently bought additional property near its service center on 12th near Marion Road, and Kum & Go is planning to build at the site of a former retail center at 12th and Grange Avenue.

“I am currently working on about a half-dozen retail and restaurant deals on West 12th. It’s such a strong corridor in the city, with many announcements in the coming months,” Tysdal said.

This will be Harbor Freight Tools’ second location in South Dakota. The retailer, which sells discount tools and equipment, has about 700 locations and opened in Rapid City in 2014. It’s the third location in Sioux Falls for Dollar Tree, which has stores at 41st Street and Minnesota Avenue, and on the east side at Dawley Farm Village.

Construction on the building is just beginning. Both retailers plan to be open before the holiday season.